The Four Main Samurai Arts: Haiku, Ikebana, Gardens & Landscape Painting
By: Brandt E and Matt K
Samurai
Samurai were the skilled and complex warriors of ancient Japan. Samurai were developed in a feudal society, which means that they owed loyalty and service to those in higher social class. The samurai were one of the highest social classes so they did not have many to offer service or loyalty to, other than the emperor. In this case, the way they served the emperor was by guarding the borders, which they did on horseback. The samurai were developed when the Taira and Minamoto ujis, or clans, fought for the position of chief adviser, when Yoritomo Minamoto emerged as the first ever samurai, who won and gained power. This created the Bakufu government, where there was one military leader who was top of the government, and samurai dominated society and became the highest social class. Samurai were trained in a unique and interesting way; they were local clan leaders who were taught to be scholars as well as warriors, making them one of the most skilled and deadliest warriors in history. The samurai valued their training as scholars as much as their training of battle and weapons skills, and they are a major part of samurai daily life. Japan has the national religions of Shinto and Buddhism, which both involve the idea of worshiping nature and meditating, so many of the things they were taught were related to nature and meditation; such as haiku, landscape paintings, and gardening.
Bushido
Bushido was almost like Japans biggest role model. Bushido was the code of behavior that everyone needed to follow. This code contained 6 main parts: Honestly, bravery, skill, loyalty, self-discipline, and obedience. These were the most important expectations needed in everyone, including merchants. Bushido was a representation of everything that they stood for in life. This was the most important if one was a Samurai. There were very important things not to do when you are a Samurai such as: Not listening to their Daimyo, being taken hostage, losing their sword, and the most important of all, betraying their allies and team mates. If one was to do one of these criminal-like acts, they would be forced to commit seppuku, or suicide. What that is, is they would slit their smallest sword into their bellies and die in honor, to get their spirit to escape. This code was very, very important to Samurai because it lets them be good and loyal to their fellow Samurai and the Daimyo, and especially the Shogun.
Landscape Painting
As scholars samurai also learned how to make paintings, other than haiku and gardening. Samurai paintings often involved nature and had calligraphy worked into it, and many times were used to help samurai meditate by calming them and giving them a key focus. The samurai had many different forms of paintings, some of which were hanging scrolls and wall, sliding doors, and screen paintings. Hanging scrolls were painting meant to be hung on walls, they had a silk or rice paper center with a small, dowel-like rod used to roll up and store the hanging scroll paintings . Hanging scroll paintings often depicted seasons in nature, and were switched out during the seasons to match the current time. Another form of painting learned by samurai involved painting on sliding doors also called fusuma, screens, and sometimes directly onto walls. There are two types of screens, a single panel freestanding screen called tsuitate and a folding panel freestanding screen called byobu; both were used for painting. This form of painting was particularly important in the latter half of the medieval period and early modern period, screen, wall, and sliding door paintings often had images of bonsai trees and flowers.
Haikus
Haikus are one of the main arts of a Samurai. Haikus were established in the 1890s from the efforts of the creator named Masaoko Shiki. Haikus were also formed by meditation, mostly in the Zen Hallway where most Samurai meditate. This new form of poetry was meant to be understood as an independent poem. The history of haikus only begins in the last years of the 19th century. Most of the popular verses such Edo Period masters as Basho, Yosa buson, and Koabyashi Issa are properly referred to as hokku and has to be placed in the category of the history of Haikai even though it is mainly read as independent Haiku. A Haiku is written with the first line starting with 5 syllables, the second line 7 syllables, and then the third line which is 5 syllables. A Haiku is a momentary, condensed poetic form and its special quality is that it perfectly adapted to give the reader that little instant of Kensho, which is little flashes of enlightenment, which are intense forms of those everyday noticings that surprise us or please us because they seem to reveal a truth. Haikus could be about anything, like in the book The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn¸ Lord Hakuseki made a haiku off the top of his head that sounded like this: The Cherry Blossoms cover the ground, like the heads of my enemies. If you can tell, the first line would have been “The Cherry blossoms” since it has 5 syllables, then the second line would be “Cover the ground, like the heads” and then the third line would be “Of my enemies.”
Ikebana
Ikebana, also known as the art of flower arranging, was studied by many people in Japan. Most Samurai learned flower arranging by displaying flowers and twigs according to their color. The perfect flower arrangement was much grander than a thing of beauty, because each groups of leaves and bend of twig had a different religious meaning. Ikebana also enriched the mind and spirit. Each leaf, twig, and flower stood for truth, understanding, or some other element of Buddhist thought. The Japanese expressed both their love of nature and their desire for religious enlightenment. Most flowers were found in a forest, or a garden. Ikebana was established during the Nara period, and came from the custom of giving flowers to the Buddha. During the Ashikaga period, Ikebana was mainly part of the Tea Ceremony.
Gardens
Gardens at Buddhist temples and samurai homes were designed as aids to meditation. Through the beautiful, domestic, and artistic display of different shrubs, flowers, ponds, and fountains, most living gardens created a feeling of peace and tranquility with nature. At rock and sand gardens monks and samurai spent much time meditating on the spiritual message hidden in the arrangement of rocks, pebbles, and sand. Most spiritual meaning could be also found in gardens, too. Every samurai home had a soothing, artistically designed garden that served as a hideaway for thought and prayer. Garden design is an important Japanese Art form that has been refined for more than 1000 years. Gardens have updated into a diversity of structure and style with many different purposes including strolling gardens for the recreation of the Edo Period lords and dry stones for the religious use by Zen monks. Great gardens can be found throughout Japan, with a lot of Gardens in the former capital of Kyoto.
Citations
Deal, William E. Hanbook to Life in Medical and Early modern Japan. New York: Facts or File Inc. 2006
Deal, William E. Hangbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan. New York: Facts or File Inc. 2006. Turnbull, Steven R. The World of the Warrior Oxford: Osprey, 2003. Print. Bryant, Anthony K. The Samurai: Warriors of Medieval Japan, 94Q-1600. London: Osprey, 1989. Print.
The Four Main Samurai Arts: Haiku, Ikebana, Gardens & Landscape Painting
By: Brandt E and Matt K
Samurai
Samurai were the skilled and complex warriors of ancient Japan. Samurai were developed in a feudal society, which means that they owed loyalty and service to those in higher social class. The samurai were one of the highest social classes so they did not have many to offer service or loyalty to, other than the emperor. In this case, the way they served the emperor was by guarding the borders, which they did on horseback. The samurai were developed when the Taira and Minamoto ujis, or clans, fought for the position of chief adviser, when Yoritomo Minamoto emerged as the first ever samurai, who won and gained power. This created the Bakufu government, where there was one military leader who was top of the government, and samurai dominated society and became the highest social class. Samurai were trained in a unique and interesting way; they were local clan leaders who were taught to be scholars as well as warriors, making them one of the most skilled and deadliest warriors in history. The samurai valued their training as scholars as much as their training of battle and weapons skills, and they are a major part of samurai daily life. Japan has the national religions of Shinto and Buddhism, which both involve the idea of worshiping nature and meditating, so many of the things they were taught were related to nature and meditation; such as haiku, landscape paintings, and gardening.Bushido
Bushido was almost like Japans biggest role model. Bushido was the code of behavior that everyone needed to follow. This code contained 6 main parts: Honestly, bravery, skill, loyalty, self-discipline, and obedience. These were the most important expectations needed in everyone, including merchants. Bushido was a representation of everything that they stood for in life. This was the most important if one was a Samurai. There were very important things not to do when you are a Samurai such as: Not listening to their Daimyo, being taken hostage, losing their sword, and the most important of all, betraying their allies and team mates. If one was to do one of these criminal-like acts, they would be forced to commit seppuku, or suicide. What that is, is they would slit their smallest sword into their bellies and die in honor, to get their spirit to escape. This code was very, very important to Samurai because it lets them be good and loyal to their fellow Samurai and the Daimyo, and especially the Shogun.Landscape Painting
As scholars samurai also learned how to make paintings, other than haiku and gardening. Samurai paintings often involved nature and had calligraphy worked into it, and many times were used to help samurai meditate by calming them and giving them a key focus. The samurai had many different forms of paintings, some of which were hanging scrolls and wall, sliding doors, and screen paintings. Hanging scrolls were painting meant to be hung on walls, they had a silk or rice paper center with a small, dowel-like rod used to roll up and store the hanging scroll paintings . Hanging scroll paintings often depicted seasons in nature, and were switched out during the seasons to match the current time. Another form of painting learned by samurai involved painting on sliding doors also called fusuma, screens, and sometimes directly onto walls. There are two types of screens, a single panel freestanding screen called tsuitate and a folding panel freestanding screen called byobu; both were used for painting. This form of painting was particularly important in the latter half of the medieval period and early modern period, screen, wall, and sliding door paintings often had images of bonsai trees and flowers.Haikus
Haikus are one of the main arts of a Samurai. Haikus were established in the 1890s from the efforts of the creator named Masaoko Shiki. Haikus were also formed by meditation, mostly in the Zen Hallway where most Samurai meditate. This new form of poetry was meant to be understood as an independent poem. The history of haikus only begins in the last years of the 19th century. Most of the popular verses such Edo Period masters as Basho, Yosa buson, and Koabyashi Issa are properly referred to as hokku and has to be placed in the category of the history of Haikai even though it is mainly read as independent Haiku. A Haiku is written with the first line starting with 5 syllables, the second line 7 syllables, and then the third line which is 5 syllables. A Haiku is a momentary, condensed poetic form and its special quality is that it perfectly adapted to give the reader that little instant of Kensho, which is little flashes of enlightenment, which are intense forms of those everyday noticings that surprise us or please us because they seem to reveal a truth. Haikus could be about anything, like in the book The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn¸ Lord Hakuseki made a haiku off the top of his head that sounded like this: The Cherry Blossoms cover the ground, like the heads of my enemies. If you can tell, the first line would have been “The Cherry blossoms” since it has 5 syllables, then the second line would be “Cover the ground, like the heads” and then the third line would be “Of my enemies.”Ikebana
Ikebana, also known as the art of flower arranging, was studied by many people in Japan. Most Samurai learned flower arranging by displaying flowers and twigs according to their color. The perfect flower arrangement was much grander than a thing of beauty, because each groups of leaves and bend of twig had a different religious meaning. Ikebana also enriched the mind and spirit. Each leaf, twig, and flower stood for truth, understanding, or some other element of Buddhist thought. The Japanese expressed both their love of nature and their desire for religious enlightenment. Most flowers were found in a forest, or a garden. Ikebana was established during the Nara period, and came from the custom of giving flowers to the Buddha. During the Ashikaga period, Ikebana was mainly part of the Tea Ceremony.Gardens
Gardens at Buddhist temples and samurai homes were designed as aids to meditation. Through the beautiful, domestic, and artistic display of different shrubs, flowers, ponds, and fountains, most living gardens created a feeling of peace and tranquility with nature. At rock and sand gardens monks and samurai spent much time meditating on the spiritual message hidden in the arrangement of rocks, pebbles, and sand. Most spiritual meaning could be also found in gardens, too. Every samurai home had a soothing, artistically designed garden that served as a hideaway for thought and prayer. Garden design is an important Japanese Art form that has been refined for more than 1000 years. Gardens have updated into a diversity of structure and style with many different purposes including strolling gardens for the recreation of the Edo Period lords and dry stones for the religious use by Zen monks.Great gardens can be found throughout Japan, with a lot of Gardens in the former capital of Kyoto.
Citations
Deal, William E. Hanbook to Life in Medical and Early modern Japan. New York: Facts or File Inc. 2006
Deal, William E. Hangbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan. New York: Facts or File Inc. 2006.
Turnbull, Steven R. The World of the Warrior Oxford: Osprey, 2003. Print.
Bryant, Anthony K. The Samurai: Warriors of Medieval Japan, 94Q-1600. London: Osprey, 1989. Print.